A Little More Resolute
by JayCee's RedGold
Summary: Taking heed of Erza's words to be more resolute in dealing with Juvia's obsessive feelings towards him, Gray tries to talk to Juvia… but ends up listening instead… and what he hears leaves him much to consider...


**Okay, so I just did a marathon of all 175 Fairy Tail episodes and I'm working my way through the actual manga now. This little plot bunny would not leave me alone!**

**Title: **A Little More Resolute  
**Rating:** T  
**Characters:** Gray, Juvia  
**Timeline: **This takes place in manga chapter 322 or thereabouts.

**Summary:** Taking heed of Erza's words to be more resolute in dealing with Juvia's obsessive feelings towards him, he tries to talk to her… but ends up listening instead… and what he hears leaves him much to consider...

**Note: **There is several different translations for Erza's words, I went with the one I liked the best.

**SPOILER ALERT: **For those who haven't read or know what happens in the manga chapters which take place after episode 175 of the anime, there are some minor spoilers in here, nothing you couldn't have already guessed, but warning you just in case.

* * *

**A Little More Resolute**

They did it, Gray and Juvia stood up against Lyon and Chelia in the final battle of the Grand Magic Games. Gray hated to admit it but Lyon was as reasonable match for his own skill, he would expect nothing less from a student of Ur. Chelia also had her God Slayer magic which had held up against Wendy's Dragon Slayer magic in the arena. There was no doubt that the young girl was going to be a hard one to beat, even if Juvia could hold her own against a Celestial Spirit.

But Lyon and Chelia did not seem to understand the idea of teamwork which left an opening Gray could take advantage of. Grabbing Juvia, he barely had to explain before they were performing a Unison Raid which finally took out the Lamia Scale wizards, getting Fairy Tail that much closer to winning the Games.

When they were finished and Gray looked down at their joined hands from performing the spell, he could have let go, instead asked her when _she_ was going to let go. It was a curiosity that he hadn't considered in the moment but it came back to him now. Why didn't _he_ just let go? Sure, her grip was fairly strong but by no means something he couldn't get out of.

He didn't think about it then because as soon as the words came out of his mouth she did that thing again, she got obessive. Her grip tightened and she declared she would never let him go, a sentiment that made him shout that she was scary because it was scary. Not only did she surprise him by latching onto him without him expecting it … but there was also the simple fact that she could so easily declare such a thing.

At least, over all, he didn't have to worry too much about her obsessive behavior. She might stalk him, get jealous of any interactions he had with anyone of the female gender, and daydream about them (sometimes out loud), but she never went too far. She never invaded his home and he never feared that one day he'd get knocked on the back of his head and wake up tied down in a basement somewhere with no means of escape. If she was going to do such thing then he was sure she would have done so by now.

Yes, Juvia was in love with him, to the point of such an obsession, but she wasn't completely crazy. She stayed at the line, the natural barrier for when one falls in love. Granted, she was pressed against it and waved her arms across it from time to time, but she stayed there… hoping one day he'd come and move the line…

_Can't you be a little more resolute?_

Erza's words echoed in his mind, pointing out the fact that he neither encouraged nor discouraged Juvia's actions. He simply let her be, even when it got a little embarrassing or a lot embarrassing. Again, it was about _her_, not him. _He_ could put a stop to all this but _he_ didn't. Why?

She was still holding his hand when they met up with the rest of the team as they finished off the last of the other mages. Fairy Tail had done it, they won the Grand Magic Games, and so much was going on no one really noticed them together like that. Even if they had, the look on his face should have explained that it was a very one sided public display of affection.

The team then moved towards the castle, there was still too much to do yet. Juvia followed them, her hand clutching Gray's, the gesture turning into a tug when Gray didn't move.

"Gray-sama?" she turned her head and gave him a curious look.

Always with the Gray-sama… surely she knew she could address him less formally? He called her Juvia, the lack of honorific denoting that she was close to him, she was a Fairy Tail wizard after all. Juvia didn't use honorifics for many others in the guild as well, as she had become friends with them. But to her he was always Gray-sama…

It was her way of saying 'I love you'… it hadn't taken him long to figure that one out.

…_a little more resolute._

Gray sighed, his head bowed as he tried to find the right words. Juvia was his friend and when she wasn't being crazy obsessive she was actually nice to be around, but this had gone on too long, "Listen, Juvia-"

"Juvia knows," she interrupted him with a quiet, sad, tone that made him look up at her, her eyes bright and glistening, "Juvia has always known that Gray-sama does not feel for Juvia as Juvia feels for Gray-sama."

He stood there in the middle of the street, slack jawed, an expression he hardly ever wore as this was the last thing he expected to hear from the obsessive woman.

"At first, Juvia stalked her Gray-sama because she wanted to learn," she continued softly, "wanted to know what it was like to be a Fairy Tail wizard, and what kind of man her Gray-sama was. More and more Juvia fell for Gray-sama, moreso than Juvia had when Gray-sama beat Juvia in battle. Then Gray-sama was kind to Juvia," she offered a very light smile, "Gray-sama welcomed Juvia, became Juvia's friend despite Juvia's love for Gray-sama being stronger than Juvia can contain."

Her hand was trembling as it gripped his, like she was fighting to let go and hold on at the same time.

"That was Gray-sama's kindness," she whispered lightly as tears began to fall, "he let Juvia be Juvia. Gray-sama did not love Juvia but he let Juvia love Gray-sama."

"Juvia…" the word was breathy on his lips, he wasn't sure what he was about to say and the world became quiet between them, her grip still trembling, saying everything for her.

"Please…" the water mage finally spoke, "Juvia will let go of Gray-sama's hand, but please do not ask Juvia to let go of Gray-sama's love," there was a slight plea in her voice, "Juvia can try to contain Juvia's love for Gray-sama better, Juvia does not wish to embarrass Gray-sama anymore."

Tears streaking her cheeks, Juvia gave his hand one last white knuckle squeeze as if attempting to imprint the feeling of his touch onto the pads of her fingers. Taking two deep breaths she tried to calm herself, standing at her full height, bracing for whatever was to come with her self-respect intact, she may often be shy but she was never meek.

They stood there in the middle of the deserted road, their team way ahead of them now, Erza looking back at them curiously.

"We should catch up," his voice wasn't nearly as sure as he would have liked it to be but he caught her eye and she caught his meaning. He wasn't going to ask Juvia to stop being Juvia, he couldn't do that to her.

"Thank you, Gray-sama," she gave a slight bow to her head and then turned away to head down the road.

"Why?" he called out to her, not very sure of his question but needing to hear an answer.

Juvia paused in her step and took a long breath, "Gray-sama made the rain stop."

Gray furrowed his brow, he had no idea what that meant. He remembered it was raining the day they met and battled but the skies had cleared by the end of it… had Juvia been making it rain? Why is he only figuring that out now?

As much as it pained him, curiosity on the subject would have to wait, they were far too behind. They had to get to Natsu and find out what was going on.

Reality suddenly hit him and he stopped on the cobblestone, reaching up to brush at the warm, salty liquid that was running down his cheeks.

When had he started crying?

_He_ never cried.

The last time he cried wasn't really tears of his own but an effect of Meredy's magic on Tenrou. Before that… he couldn't even remember… his mind going back to the day Ur gave her life to save him.

So why was he crying now? Granted, not a lot of tears, but enough to cool his cheeks in the wind.

Watching Juvia's retreating figure… Gray's breath caught in his throat…

_She_ made him cry.


End file.
